Cheesecake Profiteroles

Crisp, Golden Profiteroles filled with an easy No-bake Vanilla Cheesecake, topped with a delicious White Chocolate Ganache. Christmas is quickly approaching, so why not impress your family and friends with a cheesy twist on the ultimate sharing pud! 

I cannot believe Christmas is in less than two weeks! This year I started my Christmas shopping in November, which is unheard of. In previous years I’ve been known to do it the week running up to the big day (even Christmas Eve – yes I was THAT person). However, times have changed and my Christmas present list now has 18 people on it. The pressure of buying for that amount of people has forced me to be organised.

Not only did I start my Christmas shopping early (so much less stress, I will hopefully remember that next year 😂) I also started testing Christmas Centre Piece Desserts in November too. I’ve made these Cheesecake Profiteroles using Paul Hollywood’s choux pastry recipe 4 times now and I think I’ve cracked it!

My top tip is to be super prepared before starting the choux pastry. I made sure I didn’t miss anything out during the quick process by having everything weighed and measured in separate bowls beforehand. To make this Cheesecake Profiteroles Centre Piece you will need, two baking trays, a medium and a small saucepan, wooden spoon, mixer/whisk, four piping bags and a 1/2cm round nozzle.

Ingredients

For choux pastry:

• 65 grams of plain flour, sifted
• pinch of salt
• 50 grams of unsalted butter, diced
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 120 ml of water

For cheesecake filling:

• 400 grams of soft/cream cheese, chilled
• 100 grams of icing sugar
• 1tsp of vanilla
• 100 grams of crème fraiche, chilled
• 300 ml of double cream, chilled
• pink food colouring

For white chocolate ganache:

• 150 grams of white chocolate, finely chopped
• 75ml of double cream
• pink food colouring
• 50 grams of white chocolate, melted – for decoration

Method

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200C. With some extra butter grease two baking trays. Next sift the flour into a bowl and put to one side. Pour the water into a medium size pan with the salt and butter, heat on a low temperature until the butter has melted (don’t let it boil and begin to evaporate).

Step 2: Once the butter has completely melted, quickly bring the mixture to the boil & tip in all the flour. Remove the pan from the heat and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until it makes a smooth heavy dough. (Try to avoid getting it all over the kitchen flour like a certain person 👀.)

Step 3: Put the pan back on a low heat and beat the dough for a minute with a wooden spoon. When it’s ready it should come away from the sides of the pan to make a smooth, glossy ball. Tip the dough into a large mixing bowl and leave until tepid (slightly warm but pretty much cold.)

Step 4: Beat the eggs in a separate bowl until combined, then gradually beat them into the dough with a wooden spoon, beating well after every little addition (you might not need all the egg.) The dough is ready when it’s very shiny, paste like and falls from a spoon when lightly shaken.

Step 5: Spoon the pastry into a piping bag with a 1/2cm circular nozzle or simply snip the end of the piping bag off and pipe 14-16 small buns on to the prepared greased trays. Then sprinkle the tray with a few drops of water (not the pastry) and bake in the oven for 15 mins. Then without opening the door drop the temperature to 170C and bake for a further 10 mins or until golden brown and crisp. Remove the tray from the oven make a small hole underneath each of the profiteroles and return to the oven for a further 5 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Step 6: Once the profiteroles are completely cooled, place the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla into a mixer. Using a whisk attachment, mix on a low speed until completely combined. Add the pink food colouring (make it darker than the shade you want), mix again until the mixture is all pink. Then add the creme fraiche and double cream, whip until thick. Pop the mixture into a piping bag with the metal 1/2cm round nozzle. Pipe the mixture into each profiterole through the hole you made earlier.

Step 7: Make the ganache by finely chopping the white chocolate, then place it into a small bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan with a little bit of pink colouring, stirring occasionally, bring to the boil, as soon as it starts to boil remove it from the heat and pour over the white chocolate. Cover the bowl with a plate and leave for 5 mins. Then mix until all lumps of chocolate have melted. When the ganache is thick, pour it into a piping bag, and pipe it on top of the profiteroles. Melt left over white chocolate and drizzle on top. Stack straight away so they set into place.

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Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake: Review

An assortment of 12 decadent Ferrero Rocher Mini Cheesecakes from the English Cheesecake Company. The perfect Christmas puds delivered straight to your front door!

You can only imagine how much I was fan girling when an email from the English Cheesecake Company landed in my inbox, asking me if I would like a box of their Mini Ferrero Rocher Cheesecakes to review! I mean who would ever pass up the opportunity of free cheesecake delivered to their front door!? (Obviously not me 😂)

I decided to have the cheesecakes delivered to my work address so I could suprise my parents when I got home. With a perplexed look on her face my mum said, ‘you haven’t bought these have you?’ Not only was she delighted with the news that they were free (with the mere cost of a review), she was also ecstatic that these Cheesecakes didn’t cause havoc in her kitchen, only a few (licked clean) plates.

I was sceptical as to whether or not they would look as good as they did in the photo on their website, but because they are delivered frozen they arrived in perfect condition. Opening up the packaging felt so luxurious, a nice sturdy box (Ooo I love me some thick cardboard) in which the Cheesecakes were incased in a delicate paper. The only downside was I couldn’t sneakily pinch one at work as I had to wait for them to defrost. This is something you definitely need to consider if you are buying some for an occasion.

We took the taste testing pretty seriously, one plate for each of the four different Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake flavours; Chocolate Cheesecake, Vanilla Cheesecake, Praline Frosted Cheesecake Cupcake & Chocolate Frosted Cheesecake Cupcake. When it comes to cheesecakes we are pretty snobby, so we had our best game faces on (they didn’t last long).

Whilst lifting another spoonful of the Chocolate Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake to her lips my mum muttered ‘I was not expecting them to be this good’. We have this preconceived perception on shop bought cheesecake, that it is fluffy, a bit dry and all round crap. (This snobbery only developed once I started making my own cheesecakes.)

Pleasantly surprised at the vanilla and chocolate cheesecakes’ creaminess and not overly sweet base, we moved onto the cheesecake cupcakes. Now this might shock a few of you but I’ve never actually eaten a Cheesecake Cupcake 😱

I have no idea what they are meant to be like, all I know is the English Cheesecake Company’s are dayummm good. Both of the Cheesecake Cupcakes were a moist chocolate sponge containing a creamy baked cheesecake centre. I don’t know about you but I’m feeling 22 it’s not often I come across a chocolate sponge that is both rich in flavour and moist. They were top notch 👌🏼

Both the Chocolate Cheesecake and Praline Frosted Cheesecake Cupcake tasted exactly like a Ferrero Rocher. You’re probably reading this like ‘well aren’t they meant to? Idiot!’ However I have had my fair share of puddings that are purely topped with the ingredient that they are named after. This isn’t a bad thing but for a pudding to actually taste like the name 😍 Now that’s a good un’!

The Vanilla Cheesecake and Chocolate Frosted Cheesecake Cupcake had a more subtle nutty taste. Unlike my mum and I, my stepdad is not keen on rich chocolatey cakes (doesn’t stop him eating them though). The Vanilla Cheesecake was his fave and if I didn’t have to write a review on them we wouldn’t have stood a chance of even having a little taste!

He is also very particular with frosting, he doesn’t like it overly sweet. If he can feel the grains of sugar in your buttercream, he sure as hell will let you know that he doesn’t have a sweet tooth (as he embarks on to his second cake). But, we were all pleased that the frosting on both cakes was smooth (and grain free). I would have been happy if they just sent a box full of frosting, it was delicious.

The box of minis contained three of each of the four flavours. Personally I think they would be ideal for a Christmas Party, they’re a delicious twist on the ultimate Christmas Chocolate. A selection of flavours to suit everyone’s preferences (unless you’re allergic to nuts or you don’t like Ferrero Rocher’s).

Who else’s opinion would you trust when it involves Cheesecake? I mean I practically live off the stuff!

Bakewell Cheesecake

An indulgent Almond Cheesecake on top of a layer of raspberry jam, encased in a thin shortcrust pastry finished with a classic Bakewell Tart feather design. This creamy Bakewell Cheesecake is a cheesy twist on a quintessentially British tart!

I’ve been a bit quiet on the ol’blog for sometime! Since my last post, Jammie Dodger Cheesecake, my little old blog has turned one! Can you believe it?! Because I can’t! I would love to know how much cream cheese I’ve gotten through this year 🙈.

Anyway, if you have missed me and my delightful cheesecake creations make sure you follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter where I’ve been posting regular photos of my Great Bristish Bake Off bakes. Each week I’ve recreated one of the three challenges set by Mary and Paul with a cheesey twist 😉.

I was inspired by last weeks technical bake, the classic Bakewell Tart. I returned from Sunny Spain on Monday and started work Tuesday so didn’t have much time to slave away in the kitchen before Wednesday’s airing of the next episode, so I opted for a super easy Bakewell Cheesecake.

Yes that’s right, I cheated! I used just roll pastry for the crust and splashed out on the cheapest finest raspberry jam I could find in Tesco, so the majority of the hard work was already done for me 😝.  You will need one 9 inch tart tin, ceremic baking beads, an electric whisk (I use a stand mixer), Wilton 1m nozzle and three disposable piping bags.

Ingredients 

For the crust

• I bought Sainsbury’s own brand shortcrust ready rolled pastry (any ready made shortcrust pastry will do)

For filling 

• Seeded raspberry jam
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 225 grams of soft/cream cheese, drained
• 90 grams of caster sugar
• 90 grams of creme fraiche, chilled
• 250 ml of double cream, chilled

For decoration 

• 240 grams of white chocolate, melted
• 1 red food jel colouring
• left over cheesecake filling
• Dried raspberry pieces (optional)

Method

Step 1: Preheat your fan oven to 200C. First, grease your tin with unsalted butter. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it’s bigger than the tart tin. Place it into the tin leaving a slight pastry overhang, prick the base with a fork. Line the pastry case with baking paper and pour in the baking beads. Cook for 10 mins at 200C then drop the temperature to 180C and cook for a further 10 min. Take it out of the oven to remove the baking beads and paper, then place it back in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until golden! Once the pastry is completely cooked, trim the pastry for a clean edge. *Or follow the instructions on the pastry packet!*

Step 2: Next, spoon a generous helping of raspberry jam onto the base of your pastry case and spread until it’s an even thickness. I used about half a jar of jam but you can use as little or as much as you like! Place in the fridge whilst you make the cheesecake filling.

Step 3: Now it’s the fun part! Place the soft cheese, caster sugar, vanilla and almond extract into your mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip on a medium low speed. Once fully combined, pop in the creme fraiche and double cream, whip on a medium high speed until thick enough to hold itself. Place it into a piping bag and spiral it around on top of the jam, use a spatula to spread it evenly. Make sure the pastry crust is a little bit higher than your cheesecake filling. Place the left over cheesecake into a bowl and pop it in the fridge along side the Bakewell cheesecake for 2-3 hours.

Step 4: *If left in the fridge for an extended period of time, the White chocolate topper will set too hard so cutting it, and the cheesecake, will be difficult. So it’s best to make the topper just before serving* Pour most of the melted white chocolate over the top of your cheesecake, spread with a spatula for a smooth finish. Add red food colouring to the remaining white choc until it’s a pastel pink, tip into a piping bag and pipe parallel lines over the white chocolate, then drag a cocktail stick through the lines (at a 90 degree angle to the lines) starting from a different end each time to create the feather design. Then scoop the left over cheesecake into a piping bag with the 1m nozzle and pipe swirls around the edge, finish by sprinkling with dried raspberries. Finally remove it from the tin and serve.

Enjoy!

B x

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Coconut & White Chocolate Cheesecake

A silky No-Bake White Chocolate and Coconut Cheesecake topped with a sweet vanilla whipped cream, white chocolate curls and gold glitter ✨ A light and creamy pudding perfect for a summer tea party!

Earlier this month I was contacted by SPANA, a charity that provides free vet care for working animals around the world, to create a delicious cheesecake recipe for their annual summer campaign called World Tea Party.

SPANA for the working animals of the world

Many communities in less developed parts of the world, heavily rely on horses, mules, donkeys, camels and oxen for their workforce. When these animals become injured or fall ill, SPANA is there to look after them when their owners can’t afford to.

Not only do they provide free veterinary care but SPANA works hard to support the development of skilled veterinary services, whilst also helping working animal owners and local suppliers to play their part in improving welfare standards.

SPANA also offers educational programmes for children in farming communities to teach them the importance of being kind to animals, as well as, how to properly care for them.

#WorldTeaParty

SPANA contacted me to inspire their supporters to get baking! Their World Tea Party is taking place on the 9th July, if you would like to host your own cheesecake inspired tea party or theme of your choice then download your own world tea party pack. Raisng money for these hard working animals is not limited to the 9th July, whenever you decide to host your own tea party remeber to take photos and post them on social media with the hashtag #worldteaparty and tag SPANA.

I thought I would make a delicious no-bake white chocolate and coconut cheesecake recipe that requires little to no skill but will help to raise funds for such a fantastic cause. You will need to chill one can of full fat coconut milk in the fridge over night before you start making this cheesecake, you will also need one lined 6 inch loose bottom tin, a piping bag and large star nozzle.

Ingredients

For base:

• 200 grams of digestive biscuits
• 90 grams of unsalted butter, melted

For filling:

• 400 grams of soft cheese, room temperature
• 200 grams of white chocolate, melted
• 50 grams of icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 can (400ml) of full fat coconut milk, chilled in fridge overnight

For decoration:

• 150 ml of double cream, chilled
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 50 gram bar of white chocolate, optional
• gold glitter, optional
• gold crunch sprinkles, optional

Method 

Step 1: Place the digestives into a large mixing bowl, using the end of a rolling pin bash the biscuits into a fine crumb. Mix in the melted butter, when completely combined tip the buttery biscuit mix into your lined tin. Use the back of a soup spoon to press the biscuits down.

Step 2: Place the icing sugar, soft/cream cheese and vanilla into your mixer, mix on a medium low speed until thoroughly combined. Next, remove the bowl from your mixer and add the melted white chocolate, mix in quickly using a spatula. Remove the coconut milk from the fridge, DO NOT SHAKE, scoop out the coconut cream, that has seperated to the top of the can, into the mixing bowl. *Do not use the coconut water that has seperated to the bottom of the can.* Place the bowl back on the mixer and whisk until thick. 

Step 3: Remove the tin from the fridge and pour the coconut and white chocolate cheesecake mixture in. Level out using a spatula, then place it back in the fridge over night.

Step 4: Once the cheesecake has set remove it from the tin and place on a plate and return it to the fridge. To make the whipped cream topping, place the chilled double cream, icing sugar and vanilla into your mixer. Using the whisk attachment whip until thick enough to pipe. Scoop it into a piping bag with a large star nozzle. Pipe large stars around the top off the cheesecake. Grate some white chocolate for the centre, dust with gold glitter and sprinkle with some gold crunch. 

I hope you enjoy this delicious cheesecake. If you want to keep up to date with what I’m making then follow me on:

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Mixed Berry Cheesecake

A silky smooth white chocolate chocolate cheesecake topped with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, drizzled in white chocolate.

I was up in Liverpool for a couple of days this week and I met up with some of my uni pals. One of the atendees was my bestie, Chloe, who didn’t like cheesecake until I made her a White Chocolate and Mixed Berry one last summer. So I couldn’t not make her and my uni chums one, could I?

Yes, that’s right, I travelled all the way to Liverpool with my trusty hand mixer, new copper measuring spoons and worse for wear loose-bottom tin. The last time I saw my uni gang was well over a year ago, which was before I found my cheesecake powers. It would have been unfair of me not to make one for them since I tease them every week with a new one featuring on my Instagram feed. I had to stick with my trusty White Chocolate and Mixed Berrry Cheesecake that has been known to convert non-cheesecake lovers. This recipe hasn’t failed me yet and it definitely didn’t let me down this time either.

This cheesecake was proclaimed the best one I have made so far by my boyfriend. Not that I did anything different, but the berries I got from Aldi were utterly delicious and paired well with the creamy white chocolate filling. To make this fail safe White Chocolate and Mixed Berry Cheesecake you will need an 8 inch loose-bottom tin and a piping bag.

Ingredients 

For filling:

• 200 grams of digestive biscuits
• 75 grams of unsalted butter, melted

For filling:

• 300 grams of white chocolate, melted
• 400 grams of soft/cream cheese, room temperature
• 50 grams of icing sugar
• 300 ml of double cream, chilled
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 75 grams of raspberries

For decoration:

• blueberries
• raspberries
• strawberries
• blackberries
• 20 grams of white chocolate, melted

Method

Step 1: Place the digestives into a large mixing bowl, crush them into a fine crumb. Normally I use a rolling pin but my boyfriends ill equipped student kitchen only had a masher, which as you can see it worked very well. Next pour in the melted butter, and mix until all the crushed biscuits are soaked in butter. Tip the buttery biscuit mix into a lined tin, using the back of a tea spoon, pack the biscuits down. Once this is done set the tin in the fridge whilst you make the chocolatey mixed berry cheesecake filling.

Step 2: Pour the chilled double cream, icing sugar and vanilla into a large mixing bowl, using an electric whisk, whip together until the mixture thickens. In the same bowl, fold in the soft cheese, using a spatula.

Step 3: Stir the melted white chocolate into the vanilla cheesecake mixture quickly, using a spatula. Then add in some raspberries and fold together. Remove the tin from fridge, pour the cheesecake over the biscuit base. Use a spatula to smooth it out evenly. Pop the tin back in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

Step 4: Once the cheesecake has set, remove it from the tin and place it on a plate. Scatter a load of berries over the top of your cheesecake. Tip the melted white chocolate into a piping bag, snip the tip of the piping bag off and drizzle over the berries. Keep it in the fridge until you want to serve it.

Thanks for visiting, and you may have noticed my site has had a little makeover! Let me know what you think. And enjoy this recipe!

B x

Mini Eggs Cheesecake

Nothing screams Easter like a multi coloured, mini eggs, drip cheesecake (with some sneaky golden eggs for added bling, as my mother righlty said).

 

Easter has quickly snuck up on me, where is this year going? On the bright side, food shops are full of cheap deals on Easter chocolate, which I have been taking full advantage of. As it is only a week away, I thought it was finally acceptable to incorporate my favourite Easter treat into a no-bake cheesecake. 

This Vanilla Layered Cheesecake riddled with Mini Eggs, is decorated with a (rather trendy) chocolate drip, golden eggs and MORE Mini Eggs, but it didn’t break the bank! I’m going to let you into a little secret, all the ingredients I used where purchased in Aldi, yes even the mini and golden eggs! If you are like my mum, a die hard mini eggs fan, you will notice the difference. However, it didn’t stop her from eating the entire chocolate nest full of them on top of the cheesecake, so they couldn’t have been that bad?!

Like my hokey pokey cheesecake, I used a lined 6 1/2 inch loose bottom tin, which makes it the ideal size for a treat for 2-6 people. If you only have a larger size tin, or want to make it for an Easter family gathering, then double the mixture. You will also need a disposable piping bag and a cling filmed small round bottom bowl or mug.

Ingredients

For base:

• 150 grams of digestive biscuits
• 50 grams of unsalted butter, melted

For filling:

• 375 grams of soft cheese (125 grams for each layer)
• 3 tsp of vanilla (1 tsp for each layer)
• 9 dessert spoons of icing sugar (3 dessert spoons for each layer)
• 3 dessert spoons of creme fraiche (1 dessert spoon for each layer)
• 300 ml of double cream (100 ml for each layer)
• 3 bags of mini eggs (17 mini eggs each layer)
• pink, green and yellow food colouring

For decoration:

• 100 grams of milk chocolate, melted
• 1 bag of mini eggs
• 1 bag of Galaxy golden eggs

Method

Step 1: First, you need to make the biscuit base. Place the digestives in a large mixing bowl or zip lock bag, using the end of a rolling pin crush them into a fine crumb. Next, add the melted butter, and mix together until thoroughly combined. Pour into your lined tin, using the back of a tea spoon to pack the biscuits down. Place the tin in the fridge whilst you make the first layer.

Step 2: Place 125 grams of soft cheese, 1 tsp of vanilla, 3 dessert spoons of icing sugar and food colouring into your mixer. Wrap a tea towel over the top off your mixer, and mix the ingredients on a medium-low speed. If, like me, you are using sugar flair paste, use the tip of a tooth pick to add your colouring, keep adding a tiny bit until you get your desired colour.

Step 3: Remove the bowl from the mixer, and add the cream and creme fraiche. Using a spatula, stir both the ingredients together, if you need more food colouring add it now. Place the bowl back on the mixer, and whip on a medium-high speed until it is thick enough to hold its self. 

 

Step 4: Remove the tin from the fridge, pour the mixture in and evenly spread. Clean up the sides of your tin, before placing in 17 mini eggs. Put the tin back in the fridge whilst you make the next two layers. Repeat steps 2-4 for the pink and yellow layers. Once complete, put the cheesecake in the fridge for 4 hours or over night.

Step 5: When the cheesecake has set remove it from the tin and place on a plate. Pour the melted chocolate into a disposable piping bag, and pipe the chocolate around the edge of the top of the cheesecake. Cover the bottom of a rounded bowl, mug or other object with cling film, swirl the rest of the melted chocolate over your rounded dish. Place in the fridge for half an hour, once it is set remove it from the dish and pop it in the centre of your cheesecake. Fill it with mini and golden eggs, leave it in the fridge until you want to serve it.

This is a super fun and colourful cheesecake, perfect for an Easter treat with the family! 

Enjoy 

B x

Hot Chocolate Cheesecake

No better excuse to get your Great Nan’s tea set out, Hot Chocolate and Maltesers Cheesecake dip topped with Marshmallow Fluff Cheesecake.

 

As you all know, last weekend was Mother’s Day (in the UK) and I’m sure if you forgot, your mum has been giving you the cold shoulder since. Luckily for me my Twitter feed was full of reminders, numerous bloggers, magazines and retailers were tweeting about the ‘perfect treat for your mum’ for a month prior to her big day.

If you follow Cooperative Food on Twitter you would have seen their promotions for a Mother’s Day #TwitterTeaParty, where bloggers and Cooperative Food shared epic foodie gift ideas. I replied to one of their tweets and Cooperative Food sent my mum some fair trade drinking chocolate as part of their #growingstories campaign.

We have four tea sets sitting in display cabinets around our house, and since I started my blog I have been wanting to incorporate them into a recipe but had no inspiration. The tea cups are made out of bone china and I didn’t want people hacking at the biscuit base, potentially breaking the cups I set out to inherite when I’m older. I thought that inspiration would never come until I had the genius idea of a hot chocolate cheesecake dip, thank you Cooperative Food!

If you’re looking to butter your mum up into forgiving you for forgetting Mother’s Day or you just want a cold cup of Hot Chocolate Cheesecake, these are fab idea! All you will need is; four tea cups and saucers, one piping bag and a Wilton 1m nozzle.

Ingredients 

For filling:

• 300 grams of soft cheese, room temperature
• 3 tbsp of fair trade drinking chocolate
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 25 grams of milk chocolate, melted
• 25 grams of dark chocolate, melted
• 200 ml of double cream, chilled
• 50 grams of malteasers

For decoration:

• 100 grams of soft cheese
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1 heaped dessert spoon of marshmallow fluff
• 150 ml of double cream, chilled
• mini marshmallows
• drizzle of caramel sauce
• 4 malteasers
• 12 Maryland cookies

Method

Step 1: Place the soft cheese, icing sugar and drinking chocolate powder into your mixer and mix on a medium-low speed until thoroughly combined. To prevent a cloud of chocolaty icing sugar taking over your kitchen, wrap a tea towel over the top of your mixer…

You’d think I would have learned by now. Into the same bowl, add the melted chocolate and stir in quickly to prevent it from splitting.

Step 2:  Pour the chilled double cream into your chocolatey cheese mixture, and whisk on a medium-high speed until it thickens. Before the mix gets too stiff, remove the bowl from the mixer, using a spatula fold in the malteasers. Dust off your tea cups and evenly distribute the cheesecake between the four cups.

Step 3:  Now to make the marshmallow fluff cheesecake decoration. Place the soft cheese, vanilla and heaped dessert spoon of marshmallow fluff into the mixer, and mix on a medium speed. Then add the double cream, and mix until thick enough to pipe. Place the mixture into a piping bag with the open star nozzle and pipe on top of chocolate cheesecake. 

Step 4: Decorate with malteasers, marshmallows and a drizzle of caramel. 

When ready to serve, serve with a biscuit of your choice and dunk ahoy!

Enjoy

B x

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Honeycomb Cheesecake

Yes, that’s right, Honeycomb Cheesecake with a touch of caramel!

 

This week, my friend requested a Honeycomb Cheesecake, so I put my big girl pants on and gave it a whirl. I have an irrational fear when it comes to sugar work, but after watching an episode of Come Dine With Me the contestant made it look super easy.

However, when the pan hit the stove top those fears came rushing back, which meant I ended up having a couple of goes at it. My first attempt, I bottled it and took the caramel off the heat too soon, resulting in a sticky mess. Undeterred I gave it another shot, it seemed to work fine this time, but it fell flat in the tin. It still snapped and as I was only using it for decoration, thin shards worked in my favour. I did a little googling and found out where I was going wrong, you need to use fresh bicarbonate soda. Your three month old bicarbonate soda won’t create maximum foaming power to form that melt in the mouth crisp honeycomb.

If, like me, you are terrified of sugar work then do not panic, for the filling I used Belgium chocolate coated honeycomb that I purchased in Marks & Spencer’s. Instead of making honeycomb for decoration you could break up a couple of Crunchie Bars. To make this beehive of deliciousness you will need a lined 6 1/2 inch loose-bottom tin, a well lined baking tray and some bubble wrap.

Ingredients

For base:

• 150 grams of caramel digestive biscuits / graham crackers
• 25 grams of unsalted butter, melted

For filling:

• 400 grams of soft cheese / cream cheese
• 50 grams of icing sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 300 ml of double cream
• 50 grams of creme fraiche
• 80 grams of Belgium chocolate coated honey comb (I bought mine from Marks & Spencer’s) or 4 crunchie bars chopped

For decoration:

• 100 grams of white chocolate, melted
• 2 tbsp of caramel (I used tinned caramel)
• 80 grams of unsalted butter
• 80 grams of golden syrup
• 160 grams of caster sugar
• 2 tsp of fresh bicarbonate soda

Method

Step 1: Place the caramel digestive biscuits in a food processor and blitz into a fine crumb. Next, add the melted butter and blitz again until thoroughly combined. Pour the buttery biscuit crumb into your prepared tin, use the back of a teaspoon to pack the biscuits down. Once the biscuits cover the base of your tin, pop it in the fridge, whilst you make the filling.

Step 2: Put the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla into your mixer, using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium-low speed. Place a tea towel over the top of your mixer to stop a cloud of icing sugar engulfing your kitchen. Once that is thoroughly mixed, add the double cream and creme fraiche, and mix on a medium-high until the mixture thickens. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate honeycomb, using a spatula. When the mixture is thick enough to hold itself, remove the tin from the fridge and pour in the filling. Place back in the fridge for four hours or overnight.

Step 3: When the cheesecake has set, remove it from tin. To make the honeycomb-esque white chocolate collar, you will need to cut bubble wrap to the same height as your cheesecake. Then wrap it round your cheesecake and cut it to the right length.

Peel it back off your cheesecake and place it on your counter, bubble side up. Pour the melted chocolate over the bubble wrap, use a pallet knife to smooth the chocolate all over the bubble wrap.

Next, wrap it around the cheesecake, with the chocolate side touching the cheesecake.

Place in the fridge for one hour to set. Once it has set peel the bubble wrap off the chocolate. And you have an easy chocolate collar.

Step 4: Place the caramel in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 10 seconds. Mix until all the lumps have gone, then spread it over the top of your cheesecake using a pallet knife. Put it back in the fridge whilst you make the honeycomb.

Step 5: Now the scary part 😁 Making the honeycomb. I used the crunchy honey comb recipe by SORTEDfood if you follow the link there is also a video which shows you how to do it. Once you place the mixture on the heat do not stir!!! Only swirling the pan is permitted. Put the butter, golden syrup and sugar in a tall saucepan, and place over a low heat until completely melted. Turn up the heat and boil quickly, it will start to form large bubbles, this is why you need to use a deep pan. Boil until it is an Amber colour (the colour of maple syrup.) Once the caramel is golden in colour remove it from the heat, let the bubbles die down a bit, then add the bicarbonate soda and whisk quickly, poor immediately onto your prepared baking tray. Leave to cool until it is completely set. Then smash it into pieces and place on top of your cheesecake.

I hope you enjoy this super fun recipe as much as I did, and remember honey comb is difficult to make, so don’t be deterred! Alternatively you can decorate it with Crunchie bars.

Enjoy

B x

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Raspberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake

This weeks fun delivery of Sugarflair food colour jels got me decorating like Katherine Sabbath. If you don’t know who she is, you will probably know her bold style, she is renowned for her brightly coloured drip cakes decorated with oodles of mouthwatering goodies.

To give my cheesecake that Sabbath edge, I added some meringue kisses I had left over from the weekend and I made some chocolate shards using white chocolate, pink food colouring and a generous helping of glitter. My partner (in crime) calls this my Candy Mountain Cheesecake because it reminds him of this scenery in Adventure Time…

Hmm anyway, this cheesecake is still beautiful without all the jazzy extras. And if I do say so myself, this is one of the most delicious cheesecakes I have made to date, and my family can vouch for that. But, we might be a little bias as raspberry and white chocolate is our favourite duo to feature in a cheesecake.

To create your own Sabbath cheesecake you will need a lined 8 inch loose bottom tin, 2 piping bags and a large closed star 8CS piping nozzle.

Ingredients

For raspberry sauce:

• 5o ml of water
• 125 grams of raspberries
• 100 grams of caster sugar

For base:

• 200 grams of digestive biscuits
• 75 grams of unsalted butter, melted

For filling:

• 100 grams of caster sugar
• 450 gram of soft cheese, room temperature
• 300 grams of white chocolate, melted
• 500 ml of double cream, chilled
• 1 dessert spoon of vanilla extract

For ganache:

• 100 grams of white chocolate, finely chopped
• 75 ml of double cream
• Pink food colouring (I used sugarflair)

For decoration:

• 100 grams of soft cheese
• 3 tbsp of icing sugar
• 15o ml of double cream
• 1 dessert spoon of creme fraiche
• 2 tsp of vanilla
• sprinkles

Method

Step 1: First you need to make the raspberry sauce as it needs to have cooled by the time you add it to the cheesecake filling. Place the raspberries, sugar and water into a small sauce pan, let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until syrupy. Pass it through a strainer to remove the seeds and set aside to cool. 

Step 2: Place the digestives in a mixing bowl or large zip lock bag, using the end of a rolling pin, crush the biscuits into a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and mix until thoroughly combined. Pour the buttery crushed biscuits into the prepared tin, and pack the biscuits down using the back of a teaspoon. Place the remainder of the raspberries onto the centre of you biscuit base and drizzle a quarter of the raspberry sauce on top of the whole raspberries. Place the tin in the fridge whilst you make the cheesecake filling.

Step 3: Pop the sugar, soft cheese and vanilla into your mixer, mix on a medium speed. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the mixing bowl with a spatula to ensure it is well combined. Next, add the melted chocolate and mix together quickly, this stops the chocolate from going lumpy. In the same bowl, add the double cream, whisk until the mixture is glossy and thickens, then fold in the rest of the raspberry sauce. Pour the filling over the biscuit and raspberry base and place back in the fridge for four hours or overnight.

Step 4: Make the ganache once the cheesecake has set. Finely chop the chocolate and place in a bowl. Heat the double cream in a small sauce pan, on a medium heat. Continuously stir the cream to stop it from burning. Once the cream starts to boil, remove from the heat and immediately pour over the chopped chocolate. Cover the bowl and leave for five minutes. Using the tip of a cocktail stick drop a tiny bit of food jel into the mix or a few drops of food colouring. Using a whisk, mix until the mixture is combined and glossy, add more food colouring until you get you desired colour. Pour half of the ganache into a piping bag and pipe around the edge of the cheesecake to create the drip, then pour the rest of the ganache on the top and use a palette knife to smooth it round. Place in the fridge whilst you prep the decoration.

Step 5: Get your mixer out again, and place the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla into the bowl, mix on a medium-low speed until thoroughly combined. Into the same bowl, add the creme fraiche and double cream, whip until it is thick enough to pipe and hold its shape. Spoon the cheesecake into a piping bag with the closed star nozzle, and pipe points all over the top. Sprinkle a generous helping of sprinkles all over the top.

To add more jazz, make a bright coloured chocolate bark, break it in to shards and arrange on the top. You could also add meringue kisses and some fresh raspberries.

Enjoy

B x

Chocolate Plant Pot Mini Cheesecakes

There is one cake trend that is already dominating 2016 and that is ‘Buttercream Flowers’. With a little bit of practice, a touch of colouring and a number of cake nozzles, realistic flowers are easy to replicate. This inspired me to make these adorable Chocolate Plant Pot Cheesecakes topped with Vanilla Cheesecake flowers.

 

Last weekend, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook were spammed with pictures of roses and chocolate. I would be lying if I said Valentine’s didn’t influence me to make these mini chocolate cheesecakes topped with cheesecake roses. After two practice bakes and hours of YouTube research (and being brainwashed by Valentine’s posts) I felt it was time to make cheesecake roses for a blog post. Finally, I had an excuse to dig out my silicone plant pots again, which I used in my Oreo Cheesecake recipe.

Don’t be fooled by their miniature size, they still pack a huge chocolate punch. Their dense chocolate texture is balanced with a nutty base and creamy vanilla topping, making it the ultimate chocolate fix. To make these you will need 6 super cute silicone plant pots (I purchased mine from Dunelm), 3 piping bags, straight petal nozzle 103, curved petal nozzle (i don’t know the number but it is the same size as the straight petal nozzle) and a leaf nozzle 66.

Ingredients 

For base:

• 6 chocolate digestives / Oreos
• 2 dessert spoons of Nutella

For filling:

• 100 grams of dark chocolate, melted
• 100 grams of milk chocolate, melted
• 150 ml of double cream, chilled
• 180 grams of soft/cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 tbsp icing sugar

For decoration:

• red food colouring jel (I used Dr Oetker)
• lime green food colouring jel (I used Dr Oetker)
• 180 grams of soft/cream cheese
• 200 ml of double cream
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• 2 tsp of vanilla

Method

Step 1: Place the chocolate digestives in a food processor, and blitz the biscuits into a fine crumb. Next add in the Nutella, blitz again until well combined. You can crush your biscuits in a large mixing bowl or zip lock bag if you don’t have a food processor, but melt your Nutella in the microwave first to make it easier to mix in thoroughly. This step is easier if you have a food processor. Then evenly distribute the Nutella biscuit mix between the 6 plant pots, use the back of a tea spoon to pack the biscuits down. Place in the fridge whilst you make the filling.

Step 2: Place the cream cheese and icing sugar into your mixer, using the whisk attachment mix on a medium low speed until thoroughly combined, place a tea towl over the mixing bowl to stop the cloud of icing sugar going everywhere (I learnt this the hard way). Next add the chilled double cream, whisk on a medium high until the mixture thickens.

Step 3: Remove the bowl from the mixer, and pour in the melted chocolate. Using a silicone spatula quickly mix together, this prevents the chocolate from splitting. Get the plant pots from the fridge and evenly distribute the cheesecake filling between the pots. Then place back in the fridge, whilst you prep the decoration. 

Step 4: Once you have washed up all your utensils and mixing bowls, it’s time to get them covered in cheesecake again. Place the soft cheese, 3 tbsp of icing sugar and vanilla into your mixer and whisk on a medium-low speed (use the tea towel trick again), then add the double cream and 1 tbsp of icing sugar, mix again on a medium-high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks / thick enough to hold itself. Split the mixture between three bowls. Two of the bowls will be for the rose petals and one will be for the green leaves. You won’t need as much mixture for the leaves.

Step 5: Fold red food colouring in to the bowls that contain the mixture for your rose petals, add more food colouring to one of the bowls, so the cheesecake mixture is a darker shade of pink. Place the dark pink mixture into the piping bag with the straight petal nozzle, this cheesecake mixture will be used for the centre of your rose. Place the light pink cheesecake mixture into the curved petal nozzle, this will be used for your outside petals. 

Click here to watch a video I found really useful, she shows you how to pipe the perfect two tone rose, and takes you through it step by step. However, she uses curved petal nozzles for both colours, I think I works nice the way I have done it. Make sure the thick end of the nozzle is pointing down and the thin end is pointing up.

Add green colouring into the left over mixture and place into a piping bag with the leaf nozzle. Pipe three petals around the each of the roses. Pop in the fridge until you want to serve them.

Before you make these bad boys do your research first! I found this made me a lot more comfortable when piping them because I had watched enough videos to know what I was doing and how to do it! 

Enjoy

B x

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